BENTON HARBOR —
Benton Harbor Area Schools selected First Student Inc. to provide busing
services to the district, according The (Benton Harbor) Herald-Palladium. The
move is expected to save the district $2 million over five years, district
officials report. However, a recall campaign was launched against three school
board members after the move.

The district has 40
school buses and plans on selling the majority of them to the company for
$400,000, according to The Herald-Palladium. All school buses, public or
private, must be inspected annually by the state. Last year, the district
received only one yellow flag, which means that the bus was safe for operation
but required a repair. Flagged buses must be fixed within 60 days.

The district will
rent its transportation garage to the company for $150,000 per year, The
Herald-Palladium reported.